CONFESSIONS will be heard 15 minutes before each Mass ~ weekdays and weekends.

BAPTISM INFORMATION

Baptisms will take place on the fourth Sunday of the month at 12:00 noon. Parents wishing to have their child baptized are asked to contact the Parish Office, 514-769-9678, for details.

A meeting with Parents and Godparents is a pre-requisite.

Please note: Godparents must be baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Faith to be eligible to serve as sponsors.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, CANADA!

The history of Thanksgiving in Canada can be traced back to the 1578 voyage of Martin Frobisher from England in search of the Northwest Passage. In this, his third voyage to the Frobisher Bay area of Baffin Island in the present Canadian Territory of Nunavut, it was also the intention to start a small settlement and his fleet of 15 ships were so fitted out with men, materials and provisions for this purpose.

However, the loss of one of his ships through contact with ice, along with much of the building material, was to prevent him from doing so. The expedition was plagued by ice and freak storms which at times had scattered the fleet and on meeting together again at their anchorage in Frobisher Bay, “.. Mayster Wolfall, [ Robert Wolfall ] a learned man, appointed by her Majesties Council to be their minister and preacher, made unto them a Godly sermon, exhorting them especially to be thankful to God for their strange and miraculous deliverance in those so dangerous places,…”.

They celebrated Communion and “The celebration of divine mystery was the first sign, scale, and confirmation of Christ's name, death and passion ever known in all these quarters.” Frobisher returned to England in the fall of the year with over a thousand tons of what he thought was precious gold ore which turned out to be totally worthless."

Our Catholic Thanksgiving must be first rooted not in the wealth that one has gained but in the gift of life and of redemption that Christ has won for us. We remember that “Thanksgiving” in Greek is Eucharistia. Thus, the Body and Blood of Christ is the true “Thanksgiving Meal”. Every time we come to celebrate mass we give thanks for the blessings we have received. So be Happy, give Thanks, and recite this little thanksgiving poem.

If sometimes you find that your life seems bleak and murky Please pray to God today, that you are not a turkey,
When those times come that you feel you’re not a winner
Remember – if you were really a turkey, you would be Thanksgiving Dinner.

October: Month of the Holy Rosary

The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October 7th. It was instituted to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary in gratitude for the protection that she gives the Church in answer to the praying of the Rosary by the faithful. It was introduced by Pope St. Pius V (1504-1572) in the year 1571. Legend tells us that the Rosary, as a form of prayer, was given to St. Dominic (1170- 1221) by Mary, the Mother of Our Lord, who entrusted it to him as an aid in the conflicts with the Albigensians. The practice of dedicating the entire month of October to the Holy Rosary developed toward the end of the last century. Pope Leo XIII strongly promoted the increase of devotion to the Blessed Mother by encouraging the constant use of the Rosary.

Pope John Paul II has called the Rosary his favorite prayer. In this month of October, let us consider this beautiful prayer of the Rosary as a means that we too can use in order to draw closer to Jesus and Mary.

International Day of the Girl Child

Thursday, October 11th as declared by the United Nations General Assembly. Its hope is to raise awareness of girls’ rights and shine a light on areas where those rights are routinely violated. Please take time to visit the U.N. website and look up the resolution adopted by the General Assembly concerning this day. You will also find information at the back of the church on this important topic.

50th Anniversary of Vatican II

Opening Mass for the Year of Faith
Everyone is invited and encouraged to gather on Thursday, October 11th at 5:30 p.m. for a light supper in the church hall, followed by a talk with Father Eric Nicolai on “Dispelling the myths and legends of Vatican II: what really happened!” on the 50th Anniversary of Vatican II. At 7:00 p.m. we will adjourn to the Church as Mass will be celebrated to open the Year of Faith as declared by Pope Benedict.